Yoga mat carry bag

ABSTRACT

A carry bag for an inserted rolled yoga mat having an air permeable end cap to ventilate the mat when placed within.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

NONE

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Research and development of this invention and Application have not beenfederally sponsored, and no rights are given under any Federal program.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

NOT APPLICABLE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the practice of yoga, in general, and to theveneration of yoga as an art form, in particular.

2. Description of the Related Art

Yoga, as a steady practice, has burgeoned in recent years from anestimated five Million practitioners to approximately ten Millionpractitioners. As is known, in revitalizing and rejuvenating the yogapractitioner to enhance overall health, different disciplines haveevolved. With Bikram yoga, for example, some 26 poses always done in thesame order, and always with the same dialogue is one favored discipline,employing mirrors and bright lights in a heated studio. Kripalu yoga, onthe other hand, preferred by its many adherents, is practiced with softlights attended by soft music, with very gentle, very slow stretchingmovements followed by meditational periods. Other disciplines existbetween these two—with some, such as Iyengar yoga, employing props asstraps, blocks, etc.

As is well known, the mats utilized in the yoga experience are of a sizeand thickness that depend on the type of yoga being practiced. Typically5-6 feet long and 3-4 feet wide, these mats often range between ⅛ and 2inch thick, with the thinner mats being used as a “travel mat”, and withthe thicker mats being used where a greater protection for the spine isdesired, as when rolling on a hardwood floor.

As will be understood and appreciated, serious devotees of yogarecognize that yoga is something more than exercise. Because yoga is apractice that cleanses the body, synthetic clothing is often avoidedwhen performing its movements. Many practitioners believe in the yogaphilosophy of “Ahimsa”, or “Do no harm”, and therefore adhere to avegetarian diet; leather products are also avoided. The science of yogaalso fosters introspection and respect for ritual. For such reasons,many practitioners value their yoga props including their mats, whichthey may carry to each class with them under an arm, and then store inthe back seat or trunk of their automobile until returning to classagain.

As will become clear from the following description, the presentinvention affords an easier and more protective way of carrying the matthan under one's arm, either rolled up or unravelled. But, moreover, asthe mat is where the spirit of yoga begins, the teachings of theinvention recognize the mat as being something which is functional,beautiful and personal to the devotee's ritual of yogapractice—something to be treated with respect. And, as the presentinvention serves to protect and to treat the mat with a respect that canenhance the practice itself, the teachings of the invention will beunderstood to allow for its use for all the yoga disciplines and for allthe types of mats employed, no matter their size or composition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As will become clear from the description below, a carry bag is providedto allow ventilation of the mat when the mat is placed within. Being ofsubstantially cylindrical configuration, the carry bag holds a rolledyoga mat without an encircling band, and permits its protection againstsuch environmental elements as rain, sleet and snow. Employed with ashoulder strap on the bag extending on an outside surface between itstop and bottom portions, the bag can easily be carried about—with adrawstring closure being provided, furthermore, in closing the bagagainst precipitating ambient conditions.

As will be seen, a preferable construction of the carry bag is one inwhich a crocheted end cap is provided to hold the rolled mat, with airpermeable openings to ventilate the mat no matter the stitching orthread diameters employed. Whether loops, puff or popcorn stitches areemployed, or whether the crochet be from chain stitch or triple crochetand long stitches, the interlocking crocheted needlework formed with thethread and hooked needle will be appreciated to allow a “breathing” forthe mat whether composed of rubber or otherwise.

As practitioners in the yoga community comport themselves in treatingtheir mat as their own special space, the carry bag of the inventionwill be appreciated to be an emolument to the caring for, and respectingof, this space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features of the present invention will be more clearlyunderstood from a consideration of the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 a-2 c are top, bottom and side views of one form of carry bagconstructed in accordance with the invention; and

FIGS. 2 a-2 d are top, bottom, side and rear views of a second carry bagconstruction embodying the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the Drawings, the carry bag of the invention 10 is composedof a non-synthetic material—preferably a non-synthetic fabric selectedfrom the group of cottons, velvets, velours, silks, brocades andtapestries. (Synthetic materials such as nylon are noted to be given achemical coating when manufactured in helping to keep the fabric clean;which, over time, leaches off as a toxic-considered gas disfavored bythe yoga community.) Exceedingly simple to manufacture when made ofcotton, the carry bag 10 has an open first end 12 and a closed oppositesecond end 14, in giving the bag a substantially cylindricalconfiguration. With a rolled yoga mat 16 inserted within the bag 10 viathe end 12, the mat 16 is held in place—but with the end 14 being yetselected to be air permeable in allowing ventilation of the mat inallowing it to breathe. In a preferred construction of the invention inoptimizing this feature while providing an attractive cosmeticappearance, the second end 14 of the bag 10 is in the nature of acrocheted end cap. In particular, the crocheted interlocking of itslooped stitches formed with a hooked needle and thread provides thisdegree of permeability no matter the type of stitch style beingutilized.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, as yoga mats aretypically 5-6′ long and 3-4′ wide, with a thickness typically ⅛″-2″, thedimensions selected for the carry bag 10 would be selected to receiveand accommodate these types of mats. For a “small” mat, a substantiallycylindrically configured carry bag 10 according to the invention may beof a 9″ diameter and 29″ length, whereas an 11″×33″ dimension bag wouldsuffice for a “large” size mat. When non-synthetic fabrics are employedfor the non-synthetic material of the carry bag 10, they can be composedof rich colors or of a patterned display in providing an attractivelook. Such patterns found to receive great acceptance include florals,batiks, and nature scene displays, whether composed of a one-piecefabric (as in the carry bag of FIGS. 1 a-1 c), or of a multi-piecefabric (as at 50, 60 in the carry bag of FIGS. 2 a-2 d).

As many yoga practitioners view their mats as their “sacred space”, and“where yoga begins”, the carry bag of the present invention also mayinclude a drawstring 18 at the open first end 12 for closing and tieingthe bag in protecting the mat within against such environmental elementsas rain, sleet and snow. Composed of cord, string, or interwoven threadsin any well-known manner, such “ties” pass around the bag at an upperportion 26 adjacent its open end 12, through any type of channel 20formed by a folding-over of the fabric material. In the configuration ofFIGS. 2 a-2 d, such drawstring 18 (of sections 18 a, 18 b) continues inextension downward toward a join 28 at a bottom portion 22 of the bag 10in forming a two-strand shoulder strap 24 to allow for easy carrying ofthe mat, in manner far more convenient and far less cumbersome thantrying to carry the mat—rolled or unrolled—under one's arm. (Storagebetween usage, will also be seen easier and cleaner, in mannerconsistent with the overall honoring of the place that the mat forms inthe yoga practitioners lifestyle.) In FIGS. 1 a-1 c, on the other hand,the shoulder strap 24 forms a component separate from the drawstring 18,in extending on the outside surface of the bag upwardly from its bottomportion 22 toward its top portion 26.

As FIGS. 1 b and 2 b illustrate, different forms and designs of crochetare available according to the invention. Types of threads and yarnsemployed, diameters utilized, finishes, colors and dyes will beappreciated to be within the scope of the invention, as they all will beseen to provide the air permeability in ventilating the mat and allowingit to breathe. Such feature will be understood to be particularlyimportant for those yoga disciplines comporting active movementsproducing perspiration. The air permeability thus fosters the drying ofthe mat and the dispensation of otherwise accumulated odors.

While there have been described what are considered to be preferredembodiments of the present invention, it will be readily appreciated bythose skilled in the art that modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the teachings herein. For at least suchreason, therefore, resort should be had to the claims appended heretofor a true understanding of the invention.

1-13. (canceled)
 14. The combination comprising; a carry bag ofsubstantially cylindrical configuration having an open first end and aclosed opposite second end; and a rolled yoga mat inserted through saidfirst end into said carry bag; with said carry bag having a diameter toenclose said yoga mat rolled with or without an encircling band-inholding the mat furled; and with said closed second end of said carrybag being air permeable to ventilate said inserted yoga mat.
 15. Thecombination of claim 14 wherein said yoga mat when unrolled is of alength of 5′-6′ and of a width of 3′-4′.
 16. The combination of claim 15wherein said yoga mat is of a thickness of ⅛″-2″.
 17. The combination ofclaim 14, including a drawstring at such first end for closing said bagin protecting said mat against such environmental elements as rain,sleet and snow.
 18. The combination of claim 14, including a shoulderstrap on an outside surface of said carry bag extending between top andbottom portions thereof.
 19. The combination of claim 18 wherein saidcarry bag is composed of a non-synthetic fabric having a closed secondend comprised of a crocheted end cap.
 20. The combination of claim 19wherein said non-synthetic fabric is selected from the group of cottons,velvets, velours, silks, brocades and tapestries.
 21. The combination ofclaim 20 wherein said non-synthetic fabric is composed of one of a richcolor and pattern display.
 22. The combination of claim 20 wherein saidnon-synthetic fabric is of a floral, batik, and nature scene display.23. The combination of claim 20 wherein said carry bag is one ofsubstantially 9″×29″ and 11″×33″ diameter and length dimensions,respectively.
 24. A carry bag of substantially cylindrical configurationhaving an open first end and a closed opposite second end to hold arolled yoga mat inserted through said first end, with said closed secondend being air permeable to ventilate said mat when placed within, andwith said carry bag having a diameter to enclose said yoga mat rolledwith or without an encircling band in holding the mat furled.
 25. Thecarry bag of claim 24 wherein said carry bag is composed of anon-synthetic material.
 26. The carry bag of claim 24 wherein said carrybag is composed of a non-synthetic fabric having a closed second endcomprised of a crocheted end cap.
 27. The carry bag of claim 24 whereinsaid carry bag is composed of a non-synthetic fabric having a closedsecond end comprised of a crocheted end cap, and including a shoulderstrap on an outside surface of said carry bag extending between top andbottom portions thereof.